


The Universe Contracts to Size

by BuckysButt, Peachyscorbus (BuckysButt)



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Thorne & Rowling
Genre: Albus has Daddy issues, Alternate Universe, F/M, Gen, Kidnapping, M/M, Muggle Life, Not Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Compliant, Set 5 years after Al & Scor graduate Hogwarts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-19
Updated: 2017-07-26
Packaged: 2018-10-21 00:42:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10674129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BuckysButt/pseuds/BuckysButt, https://archiveofourown.org/users/BuckysButt/pseuds/Peachyscorbus
Summary: (set in an alternate universe where Delphi never went ahead with her time-turner plan, and so Albus and Harry never reconciled after the blanket incident)They had gotten out. Away from the stares and whispers, they were no longer 'Harry Poter's son' or 'Son of Voldemort'They could just be Albus and Scorpius.But something dark is resurging, pulling Albus back into the wizarding world he tried to leave behind. Will he be able to defeat the darkness like his father before him, or will it destroy him?





	1. I

Albus woke suddenly, one hand reached, reflexively, for something that wasn't there anymore and hadn't been for a long time. The other hand was held by Scorpius, their fingers interlocked.

It didn't take long to identify the sound that woke him up; the tap-tap-tap of an owl at the window was familiar and foreign at the same time. A relic of the magical life he and his boyfriend had left behind.

He ignored it at first, his parents had stopped trying to contact him years ago, and Scorpius had given his father a muggle mobile phone so they could stay in touch, but after a minute it became clear that the bird wasn't going anywhere else anytime soon, and Albus rolled carefully out of the bed, and padded towards the window. 

He cracked the curtains to see the sun just barely risen, the sky pink and gold, and his mother's old, grey owl looking rather worse for wear.

"What are you doing here?"

The owl didn't answer, obviously, and Albus opened the window to let it in. The owl collapsed onto his bedside table while he left to fetch some water for it from the bathroom sink. 

"There you go. Drink up." 

"I think he's giving you the silent treatment." Scorpius's voice startled Albus.

"Nah, he's just deaf. Almost older than the two of us together, he is."

"You know whose it is?"

"My mum's. I almost don't want to read the letter." Albus could think of only a handful of reasons his mother would owl again, none of them good.

"It could be good news?" Scorpius sat up on the bed and extended a hand towards Albus, who took it and sat down beside him. He had always been the more optimistic of the pair, somehow.

"It's never good news. My mum hasn't sent me a letter in five years, and something tells me she's not just writing for a chat." 

Albus stood up abruptly.

"I'm going to make breakfast. What do you fancy?"

"Don't you think you should read the-"

"I will." Albus took Scorpius's face in his hands and kissed his forehead. "I just find bad news easier to swallow with food. A side effect of being a Weasley."

"In that case, let me help. We can make french toast, and I think there's some syrup in the cupboard."

Albus kissed his forehead again, and then his lips.

"I love you." 

Scorpius stood up and ran a hand through his boyfriend's wild, wavy curls.

"You're not too bad yourself." Albus tapped his ass just hard enough to push him towards the door.

"Abuse! That's abuse Al," Scorpius joked, smiling. Albus rolled his eyes.

They worked together, silent but for the radio on the windowsill singing softly. Albus cracked two eggs into a bowl while Scorpius turned on the stove so the pan could heat up.

"What if it's something bad?" Albus asked quietly as he dipped a slice of bread in the egg. "What if it's really bad? What if-"

"Albus, breathe."

"But-"

"No buts, just breaths." Scorpius accentuated the joke by throwing an arm around Albus’s shoulder, letting his hand come to rest over Albus’s heart.

"That's not funny," Albus said, despite his laughter.

"Of course it is! I'm hilarious."

Albus was thankful for the distraction. As much as he’s felt alienated by his family, he still cared for them, and the thought of anything happening to anyone, be it one of the cousins, or even his father, made his stomach clench up in an entirely unpleasant way.

Scorpius dished up the scrambled eggs and poured two mugs of tea, and set it all down on the kitchen table.

They ate slowly, but still too fast for Albus’s liking, and all too soon they were sat facing each other, separated by two empty plates.

“I don’t think I can read it,” Albus admitted quietly. Something about the letter was telling him that once he read it things were going to change. 

“I want to tell you that you don’t have to, but…”

“I know.” Albus sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

He picked up the letter off the table where he’d left it, and unfurled it slowly.

It had just five words scrawled across a scrap of parchment in what looked like his sister's hand. 

“Come home. We need you,” he read. 

“Bit ominous,” Scorpius replied, wrapping an arm around Albus’s waist from behind in a half hug.

“I have to go back there, don't I?”

“You don't have to do anything you don't want to.” Scorpius lowered his head until his chin rested on Albus’s shoulder. “Well, we have to do laundry and wash dishes. And I don't know about you but I don't particularly want to go to work every single morning when I could be in bed with-” 

The end of his sentence was muffled by a kiss. 

“I'm going to go.” 

“No, we're going to go,” Scorpius corrected. “Together.”

“What would I do without you?”

* * *

 

At first, Albus thought it was his mother at the door. But it was his sister, looking the image of their mother in the wedding photo that use to sit, framed, on the mantelpiece. A person can change a lot in five years.

“Al?” 

“Hi, Lily.” 

Albus was wrapped up in a tight hug before he even realised what was happening. He couldn't even remember the last time he’d hugged his sister.

“James said you wouldn't come, but I knew! I knew you wouldn't be gone forever.” 

“Lily.” 

Albus let his sister hug him for a moment, then pushed her away. 

“This isn't a reunion. I came because you need me, but I'm not staying.” 

“But-”

“I'm sorry, but we left, me and Scor.” 

Albus paused to run a hand through his hair. He didn’t know how to explain to his sister, who had spent her whole life as ‘Daddy’s little Gryffindor Princess’ what it was like to feel like an outsider in your own family. Lily had inherited not just her mother’s hair, but her likeability and Albus wasn’t good enough with words to explain how he felt, so he settled for the best explanation he could.

“I left for a reason, and that reason hasn't changed. I'm not here to pretend we're all a happy family again. I just can't do that, Lil.” 

For a moment he thought she might cry, or laugh, then her face hardened into a scowl he knew well from their years of living together.

“Oh fuck you, Al,” she spat, voice dripping with venom. He recoiled as if he’d been hit. He knew she was just lashing out, as he had so often when he was younger, but that didn’t mean it hurt less.

“Oi! You don't get to talk to me like that.” 

“Why not? We're not family, you _ just  _ said so yourself. You left when I was fifteen. And you didn't even say goodbye! We might as well be strangers now.” 

Scorpius let out a soft gasp and reached out to grasp Albus’s hand.

“Fine then.” Albus was moments from tears, although he hoped Lily couldn’t tell. But Scorpius could, and he stood between the two of them before they said anything else they might regret. 

“Maybe we should take a break?”

Lily muttered something under her breath about something she'd like to break that Albus didn't quite catch.

“What did you say you little-” 

“Tea!” Scorpius cut in. “Mum used to always say there's no conflict that can't be fixed be a good cup of tea and a chat.” The Potter siblings looked at each other, though neither could read the other’s expression. Scorpius looked pleadingly between them both.

“Sure, I'll go put the kettle on,” Lily said, more calmly, and Scorpius visibly relaxed. 

“You don't have to stay,” Scorpius said as soon as she was out of earshot. “We could go home.” 

Albus thought about it for a moment. He felt that same gut feeling he’d had before opening the letter, and the wand in his back pocket felt much heavier than it had any right to be. Once he crossed the threshold and returned to his childhood home, there’d be no going back.

“I think I need to hear her out,” he replied. “But I'm leaving before my dad gets home from work, that's for sure.”

“Al.”

“Don’t, please. I didn't come back so they could try to pretend the last five years never happened. Hell, the last twelve years if you count Hogwarts.” 

“I know that, but they're your family.” 

Albus knew from the look in his eye that Scorpius was thinking about his mother, how he’d lost half his family the day she died, and he still didn’t always understand how Albus had been able to leave his behind.

“No, Scor, you're my family. They're just some people I used to live with.”   


* * *

James arrived shortly after Lily had poured the tea. Tensions were still high, but Albus no longer felt anger towards his sister. She was right, in a way. He had left. But it had truly felt like the only option at the time, and Albus had never regretted his decision. Maybe he should have said goodbye, but maybe his family should have tried harder to give him a reason to stay.

“Lily! I'm home! And I picked up a- oh?” James seemed a little too surprised to see Albus in their parent’s kitchen. He'd never had much faith in his younger brother.

“Al.” He set a hand on his brother's shoulder and squeezed just slightly. “And Scorpius too.” 

He looked between his siblings as if he couldn't quite believe it. Albus rolled his eyes. 

“Yes well, the letter seemed rather urgent. Mum’s owl nearly killed itself trying to get in our window.” 

James’s face paled and Albus stood up suddenly. He’d just realised something important.

“James, where is Mum?” 

“Maybe you should-”

“I won't sit down. Don't tell me to sit down.” Albus could feel his legs shaking against his will. “Tell me where mum is! She's usually home by now. Dad too.” 

Scorpius stood up beside Albus, and Lily stood too. She and James exchanged a look Albus couldn't read. Finally, James nodded. 

“Albus, don't panic, but Mum and Dad are missing.” 

“Missing!" Albus had never liked following his older brother's orders, and as such began to panic rather spectacularly. "How are they missing? They're bloody wizards! They literally defeated the darkest wizard known, when they were kids!” 

“Al, just calm down please.”

“I'm sorry,” Albus replied sarcastically. “I guess I just thought it was situationally appropriate to not be calm because I just found out my parents have been kidnapped but apparently not.” 

“Al.” James reached a hand towards his brother. 

“Albus! My name is Albus!" he exploded. "It's only one extra syllable, it can't possibly be that difficult to remember.” Albus stormed out of the room.

He knew he wasn’t being fair, but it was only because his brain was still processing what he had just heard and the guilt was already seeping in. 

Five years. That's how long it had been since he'd seen his parents. Since he’d packed up his bags in the middle of the night. Since he and Scorpius had set off for Muggle London.

It had been difficult at first, starting over in a world where no one knew their names, but it had been so liberating too. They were no longer 'Harry Potter's son’ or “The son of Voldemort.” 

They were just Scorpius and Albus.

“So,” Scorpius said loudly from the other room, dragging out the word like he always did when he was nervous. “You’re still an Auror then, James? Well of course you are, you’re wearing an Auror uniform! That was a silly question.”

Albus reentered the kitchen as his boyfriend continued to babble.

“Come on, we’re going.” He grabbed Scorpius’s hand and turned towards the nearest exit, the back door.

“Al!” Lily exclaimed. “You can’t just leave.”

“Why not?”

“Lily is right, Al,” James replied, ignoring his question.

“I’m sorry, right about what? Because the way I see it, you’re the only one here who can do anything. I  _ left  _ and left for a reason. I’m rubbish at magic, I always was. And it never really mattered to me, but do either of you know what it’s like to be the most disappointing kid in all of wizarding Britain? Cause I do and I’d rather live the rest of my days as a Muggle than relive a second of my childhood.

“So please, tell me why I, the disappointing Slytherin Squib, need to stay here and help you wizards. Tell me what I can do for you.”

Lily and James were both speechless. Neither had truly realised just how much their brother had suffered through his Hogwarts years. It wasn’t necessarily their fault. Albus had decided early on that if his family was going to shun him over something as trivial as his Hogwarts house, then giving them a reason to dislike him made it hurt a hell of a lot less.

“Al,” James started, before correcting himself. “Albus. We sent that owl because when Mum and Dad disappeared, it was almost without a trace. We only knew something was wrong right away because they had left their wands behind, but they left one other thing too.”

James rummaged around in a briefcase Albus hadn’t even noticed was there, and produced a scrap of parchment not unlike the one Albus had received just the day before.

He took it from his brother’s outstretched hand.

“Find Albus,” he read aloud. “But, why me?”

“We were hoping you could tell us that,” Lily replied.

Albus watched as Scorpius tried to stifle a yawn, and then yawned himself. It had been a long day, for both of them. Albus had spent half the train ride to his old home wishing for the ease and speed of apparation, or even some floo powder. It wasn’t often that he missed how easy it was to use magic, but then again, it wasn’t often he thought about his previous life.

“Well I have no idea, and Scorpius is tired but too polite to say anything, so we’re going to go to bed.” Albus turned towards the stairs before remembering he didn’t live in this house anymore.

“Is the spare room still where it used to be? Because I’m assuming you didn’t keep my room or anything. I wouldn’t expect you too.” That was a lie. He hadn’t given the idea much thought either way, but now that he was, there was a small, irrational part of him that hoped they hadn’t changed it.

Lily’s face softened, looking so much like their mother it seemed unnatural, and she gestured for them to continue up the stairs, and followed after.

“Mum wouldn’t let us touch it. She and Dad only go in on your birthday.”

Albus looked around and realised she was right. Everything was exactly as it had been when he was seventeen. The only difference he could see was a camp bed set up on the floor beside his own.

“I set that up for Scorpius. I wasn’t sure if you two were still in touch, but I guessed you might bring him with you if you came back.”

Scorpius looked like he was about so say something along the lines of “We can share a bed,” but Albus gave him a look and he stopped himself.

“Thanks, Lily. Really that was very nice of you.” Albus gave his sister a half-hug, unsure if that was okay, but she pulled him in for a tighter one and he let himself relax into it. It was all too easy to forget about the years lost between them, even just for a moment.

“Well, you know where my bedroom is if you guys need anything, although it’s early enough so James and I will stay up for a while.”

“Alright, thanks.”

Albus waited until he heard his sister close the kitchen door downstairs before letting out a deep breath, and throwing himself face first onto his bed.

“You never told your family about us?” Scorpius asked, cutting right to the point. Albus rolled over and beckoned his boyfriend to join him on the bed.

“You knew that already. I haven’t had much of a chance to tell them, considering I haven’t been on speaking terms with any of them since, well, five years at least.”

“You could have told Lily just now.”

“Is this bothering you?” Albus took his boyfriend’s face in his hand gently and looked him in the eye. “Because I can tell them. If you really want me to I’ll open that door and scream ‘Hey guys I’m  _ really  _ gay for Scorpius!’”

Scorpius laughed at the thought but shook his head.

“No, it’s not that. I just don’t want us to have to hide, you know? Seventh year was bad enough, and I’ve grown accustomed to being able to kiss you whenever I like.” Scorpius accentuated his point by kissing Albus on the nose. “Just like that.”

“We can still do that. I just think we should break it to my siblings first. Something tells me they wouldn't appreciate coming down for breakfast only to see us snogging against the counter.”

They both laughed at the thought.

“Fine, but you’ll have to make it up to me.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

They changed for bed quickly and brushed their teeth in the bathroom down the hall. Albus was surprised to see most of the house looked unchanged. There was even the same brand of toothpaste still in the cupboard. The thing that had changed the most, of course, was Albus himself. He was no longer the same angry, misunderstood teen who had run away from home without saying goodbye.

He wondered, not for the first time if it had been the right choice, and when he finally curled up in his childhood bed, it took him longer than he would have liked to get to sleep.


	2. II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im so trash i can't believe how long it's been since an update sorry guys

Albus woke up slowly, and for just a second he thought he'd dreamt it all. He opened one eye and saw Scorpius, eyes closed and snoring quietly, and knew it was all real.

It was strange being in his old bedroom again. Not entirely unpleasant though.

It really hadn't changed all that much; if anything it was dusty enough to suggest his family had left it untouched the five years he'd been gone. The thought of that hurt him somewhere deep in his gut, but he ignored it best he could. He looked up and saw the Quidditch posters on the ceiling. His mother smiled down from the biggest one. It was the full Holyhead Harpies team and signed by each of the members, but Albus had never cared much for the sport outside of his mother’s involvement.

He watched her zoom around on her broom, as he had for most of his childhood, and felt an ache deep in his heart.

“We’ll find her,” Scorpius said suddenly, startling Albus.

He turned to face his boyfriend, and as he did the tears collecting in the corner of his eyes rolled down his face, propelled by gravity.

“Five years,” he whispered. “It's been five years since I've spoken to her.” The tears came faster now, leaving a damp patch on his pillow.

"I know, I know, love," Scorpius replied soothingly. "But we're going to get her back. You have a chance to get your family back, Albus."

"What if she hates me?"

Scorpius sat up with a jolt.

"You can't possibly think that? She's your mother. And mothers, they..." Scorpius took a deep breath, his own eyes watery. "Mothers love you unconditionally. Always."

Albus didn't feel convinced, but then Lily was calling them down to breakfast, so he rubbed his eyes and sat up.

"Alright then, let's go find my mum."

* * *

 

Albus took a deep sip of the butterbeer, letting it warm him from the inside out. He’d missed it more than he’d realised, and the cold, bottled version Draco had sent to Scorpius one Christmas had been a poor substitute.

The four of them were huddled together around a small table in the back of the Three Broomsticks in an attempt to avoid the stares and whispers. Those, he hadn’t missed at all.

“Just ignore them,” Lily said. “Or pity them. How boring must their lives be that all they can think to talk about is you.” She flicked her long, curly hair over her shoulder, and sighed.

Albus just ‘hmmed in reply, and took another sip of his drink. He felt Scorpius nudge him under the table and remembered their conversation from the night before.

“Jame, Lily, there’s actually something I need to tell you.”

His siblings looked up with mild interest. He wondered, not for the first time, how neither of them had even suspected his relationship was Scorpius might be more than platonic. He’d never tried particularly hard to hide it, he just hadn’t wanted to be the subject of any more gossipy articles after his first (and last) date with fellow Slytherin Emiline Boot in sixth year had ended up in a pretty nasty tabloid. The article had said some rather unpleasant things about both of them, and Emi had refused to speak to him after its publication. It hadn’t been a huge loss, but ever since then, Albus had been hyper aware of the pressure he was under to appear uninteresting to the public eye. And openly dating the alleged son of the Dark Lord was certainly not uninteresting.

James coughed, pulling Albus out of his thoughts.

“Scorpius and I, well, we’re, er-”

“Together,” Scorpius cut in, grasping Albus's hand over the table. “We’re together.”

“Oh,” said Lily.

“Makes sense,” said James.

“So we won’t be needing that extra camp bed. But it was a nice thought.”

Lily just nodded and took a sip of her butterbeer.

Out of seemingly nowhere, James started laughing, loud and deep.

Albus gave him a look.

“I'm sorry, it’s just,” he gasped out between giggles. “Oh Merlin, Lil, do you remember that article in the Prophet. The one that ran about a week after Al left?”

Suddenly Lily was laughing too.

Albus and Scorpius exchanged a look as Albus’s siblings continued to draw attention from the other patrons of the bar.

“Are you going to let us in on the joke?” Albus asked, impatiently.

James took a deep breath, held it for a moment, let it out slowly and when he was certain he wasn't going to continue giggling, spoke.

“Well about a week after you two left there was an article in the Prophet gossip column about it. It was pretty big news at the time.

“Apparently a 'top secret source’ had spoken to Rita Skeeter about you two, and told her the reason you left was cause you're lovers. Of course, mum went ballistic cause they also said that dad didn't support it. The Finigan-Thomases wouldn't talk to him for a week!

“Then Mum tracked the 'anonymous’ source to some prick the year below you in school. A bloody Ravenclaw! Said he caught you snogging in the astronomy tower and everything. Of course, we all set the record straight.”

Albus and Scorpius exchanged a look. Lily got it right away and started laughing again.

“I don't get it,” James whined while the other three laughed.

“Well, it was probably true,” Albus said. “So I guess we'll just have to set the record gay again.”

Scorpius snorted at his lame joke, almost choking on his own butterbeer.

“Remind me again what I see in you?”

Albus placed a hand on his boyfriend's shoulder and looked him in the eye. “It's definitely my amazing puns.”

* * *

Albus had just stepped out of the Three Broomsticks when a boy who looked vaguely familiar from school ran up to the four and began speaking rapidly in an accent Albus couldn't quite place.

“Lily! Oh Merlin, have you heard the news?”

She shook her head.

“It's Neville. He's been taken too! He was meant to go home from Hogwarts last night, but he never made it.”

“No!” Lily exclaimed. “Not Neville.” She began pulling on the sleeves over her jacket,

“Yeah. Hannah came round to tell my dads this morning. She thinks they're targeting old members of the DA.”

Suddenly Albus remembered why the boy looked familiar. He was Colin Finnegan-Thomas. He had been in the year in-between Albus and Lily in school, and their dads had all fought alongside each other in the Battle of Hogwarts.

“Have they any idea who's doing this?” James asked, using what Albus had dubbed his 'Auror Voice’ before he ran away.

“No, that's why I’m here, actually. McGonagall told Hannah that Neville left for Hogsmeade yesterday instead of flooing directly from the castle because he had some errands to run. I figured it wouldn't hurt to retrace his steps, because the Aurors are saying he hasn't been gone long enough for them to get involved.”

James looked down, guiltily, though it wasn't his fault.

“Is there anything we can do?” Scorpius asked.

Colin nodded.

“You can come with me, if you'd like. Between us all we might just spot something.”

“Lead the way then,” Scorpius instructed, linking hands with Albus as they set up the path towards the school. Neither of them had many good memories from Hogwarts, but Albus tried not to think about the years of bullying and abuse as they headed towards the castle.

* * *

 “I think I found something,” Albus said.

He knelt down in the dirt and looked closely and the footprint. There were many, but this one stood out. It took Albus a moment to recognise the shiny object that had been stamped into the dirt.

“A galleon?” Lily asked sceptically.

Albus held it up to the light and inspected it closely, but it seemed to just be a regular coin.

“Professor Longbottom might have dropped it?” Scorpius suggested, placing a hand on Albus's shoulder.

Albus looked from the footprint to the coin and back again, but neither offered any explanation of Neville’s disappearance.

“The footprints all stop over here,” Collin said, pointing to a spot a few meters away. Two or three sets of overlapping footsteps cut off abruptly.

“Must have apparated,” James replied. He was performing some sort of spell Albus didn't quite understand. After a moment he turned to face the others. “Yes, apparation. Three people, all men. Either they used an anti tracking spell, or they went too far to be traced. Outside Scotland at least.”

“This is just awful,” Lily said, looking close to tears. James put his arm around her and leant his head on hers.

“It'll be okay, Lil. We'll get them back."

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so this is v AU but there is more flashbacks/explanation on the way in future chapters. If you've any questions though do feel free to leave a comment. Also, comment if you don't have questions cause nothing motivates me faster than validation lol.
> 
> Big thanks to @scorbuschoseme on tumblr for helping beta this chapter
> 
> Next chapter is kinda written/planned but may take a while cause I'm trash & also exams


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